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Forums - Website Topics - The Social Construction of Fanboyism: Part 1, the Problem.

Feminists have long argued that a person’s “sex” (as in their physical attributes) is a literal fact, ever-present and impossible to usurp (except through a sex change) whereas “gender” is a socially constructed mirage. The idea is that perceived personality traits are entrenched through practice, tradition and cultural reproduction, irrespective of whether they’re indicative of an underlying natural truth.

I believe that the same argument can be made in reference to fanboyism within the console war. Please note that I am referring to the commonly expressed definition that a “fanboy” is someone who is incapable of seeing the faults of the console they support, but irresponsibly, irrationally and without justification attacks ‘faults’ inherent in the other consoles. I will be using myself and some others as examples to argue the point, and will endeavour to provide quotes backed up by links wherever I name names.

It is important to examine the culture emerging within VGChartz from time to time. Whilst it is clear from the massive user increase that the site receives early in the week on a regular basis that much of the site’s traffic is based on the desire of non-regular posters to garner sales numbers, the forum’s that provide a discussion area for the site’s regular community are just as significant.

I have been a member of VGChartz since (checks profile) June 17th last year. For a large part of my tenure, I posted regularly without being called a fanboy or a troll (to my knowledge) once. Around the time of the PS3’s resurgence in early December last year, this site saw a dramatic increase in its “pro-Sony” membership. I think it is fair to say that many of these posters lacked the tact and delicate touch early pro-Sony members had developed in expressing their point of view. One such example is Auron, who survived for some time before recently being permabanned. An example of one of the reasonable Sony fans (whom I hope won’t mind me mentioning his name) is DMeisterJ. He regularly exhibits pro-sony bias, but always doing so in a way that uses facts/links to back up his opinions or by making humorous anecdotes about the Xbox 360 (which I, as a 360 fan, appreciate).

As a 360 fan, I instantly noticed an increase in hostility, particularly from this influx of new members. Shortly after they noticed that I was (one of the few) a 360 fan, one of them (I’m sure I know who, but as I can’t find a link I won’t name names) started calling me a fanboy, and they all flocked to the title like bees to honey. It was so much easier to rebuff my (normally logic or even link-backed) opinion by labelling me a fanboy in order to avoid having to engage with my subject matter. It became a matter of practice that I would make a comment, be labelled a fanboy and then ganged up on by the rest of what became known as the “Sony Defense Force” (in reference to the jocular website that is actually run by an Xbox 360 fan). Interestingly, whenever another poster entered the thread to come to my defence, the “SDF” would dissipate, leaving the thread in apparent shock that not everyone felt they were right to label me a fanboy, that not everyone felt it was right to try to invalidate my opinions rather than engage with them. The “SDF” reacted rather violently to such implications, often resorting to personal attacks rather than argument-based attacks.

The result of all this is the subject of my thread. Fanboyism is largely a myth, just as gender is. Naznatips banned me for the following comment:

“Lets see if the game is any better on a console capable of running it in HD.............

From this thread:

http://www.vgchartz.com/forum/thread.php?id=27626

Now whether you believe my assertion that that was a jab at Ubisoft’s poor attempt at making the game, or think I was ‘attacking’ the PS3, this comment is hardly a ban-able offense. However, by his own admission, naznatips did not act in a vacuum, he was reacting to his ‘perception’ that I am a fanboy that was trying to ‘troll.’

Edit:  Naznatips did not call me a fanboy, and has explained that saying someone is "trolling" is not, in his opinion the same as calling someone a "troll."  I stand corrected on this particular point and apologize for any misconceptions I have caused. 

Now here is the thing, trolling DOES exist. There are many people that sign up to VGC just to attack a person/idea/console. These people are trolling, but they are not doing it because they are fanboys, they are predominantly doing it because they are idiots. The problem VGC is facing is simple: mods and the wider community are starting to be swayed by the social construction of fanboyism.

I will provide a few examples and then I will leave the solution till part two. Whilst I was banned Dodoce, a poster that almost universally posts only logic-based, well thought out opinions also received a ban for his comment in this thread:

http://vgchartz.com/forum/thread.php?id=28019

What got him banned wasn’t his comment, which was completely unbannable, but the reaction too it:

From Deviation:

“Wow. Just... wow.

You're one brainwashed little fanboy, aren't you?”

Darthdevidem01:

“I will never understand why people buy a console that they know is going to break...

thats like buying a washing machine YOU KNOW is gonna break down within a month”

Outlauron:

Im not even touching that troll job.

 

These comments clearly led the banning mod to believe that the trolling going on in the thread was not the fault of individual trolls, but the fault of Dodoce. What is important is this. Whilst Dodoce’s post may have been the CAUSE of the trolling, it was not RESPONSIBLE for the trolling. Whichever mod banned him (I can’t remember so I won’t name names) failed to see this, and attributed the wrongdoing of others in the thread to Dodoce.

To demonstrate the reproducing of falsified and unjustified perceptions of fanboyism, this time in my case, here are some links and quotes from various threads started during my ban:

http://www.vgchartz.com/forum/thread.php?id=28096

Rock_on_2008:

“Poor old starcraft must be feeling really sick atm. PS3 dominating the struggling 360.”

That quote was despite the fact that in reality, I had quite lofty expectations for MGS4, which were documented in the predictions thread.

http://vgchartz.com/forum/thread.php?id=28078

Rock_on_2008:

“ starcraft would commit suicide if Gears of War 2 fails to outsell Gears of War LTD”

He also claimed I had said KZ2 would bomb critically and commercially, without providing a link. Whilst I don’t think KZ2 will be great, I have no recollection of saying it will bomb in sales.

http://vgchartz.com/forum/thread.php?id=27954

PSRock:

“Starcraft is going to be pissed”

Doats1:

“You say that like its a bad thing.

I jest I jest.”

http://www.vgchartz.com/forum/thread.php?id=27889

PooperScooper:

“...looks at starcraft, gebx, solidar, madsillz, madkiller, and RAZurrection.....”

 

 

http://vgchartz.com/forum/thread.php?id=27879

Darthdevidem01:

“I wanna see how starcrafts gonna spin this.”

PooperScooper:

"Ps3 is still 6mil behind 360 and if it werent for Japan it would be 8mil" - starcraft's spin.”

In asserting that this was my opinion, PooperScooper failed to provide a link or quote.

http://www.vgchartz.com/forum/thread.php?id=27800

PooperScooper:

“In the words of starcraft "this is a mediocre game that just did not live up to the hype. AAA titles are the only ones worth purchasing, so I will skip this one."

Once again no link was provided to prove that this was my opinion. In fact, this thread is a particularly interesting one given what was discussed earlier. Pooperscooper claimed he was expressing my opinion, but when challenged by another poster, was unable to back that assertion up with evidence. When presented with evidence contrary to his constructed opinion of who I am and represent as a poster, he discontinued responding.

Because fanboyism is a floored concept (in this case), it can never reasonably be used to explain someone trolling. For example, it is almost always inaccurate to say that someone is trolling because they are a fanboy.

In summary, the problems confronting VGC are:

· Dealing with the socially constructed notion of fanboyism.

· Recognising the difference between a troll, and a trollish response to a reasonable post.

· Assisting mods in their attempts to avoid being swayed by perception and instead focusing on what is actually happening.

In part 2, which will follow in the coming day or two (if I don’t get banned/thread locked, which would really be the height of irony), we will discuss a solution to the above problems. I call this solution the “Nintendo model.”



starcraft - Playing Games = FUN, Talking about Games = SERIOUS

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Whoa!

I knew you'd come back with a bang!

Thanks 4 the mention



Lol. I'm hoping it will be taken seriously. It will all depend on whether the site's reasonable posters make it in here before those that wish to continue propagating the social construction of my "fanboyism."



And honestly, how could I make an epic thread without mentioning you?



starcraft - Playing Games = FUN, Talking about Games = SERIOUS

You are regarded as the Xbox 360 fanboy, almost a token fanboy, so you are used whenever someone is looking how M$ will spin something. Anyway, ignore rock_on, his threads are plain stupid much of the time



I'm fairly new, so i havent been around to see your infamous 'trolling' but posts like this, well backed up with evidence and obviously well thought through dont connect to this image you seem to have garnered...



I hope my 360 doesn't RRoD
         "Suck my balls!" - Tag courtesy of Fkusmot

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Munkeh111 said:
You are regarded as the Xbox 360 fanboy, almost a token fanboy, so you are used whenever someone is looking how M$ will spin something. Anyway, ignore rock_on, his threads are plain stupid much of the time

But thats just it.  I wasn't labelled an Xbox 360 fanboy until I disagreed with a certain group of PS3 fans.

That lends itself to what I feel is the very real possibility that most fanboyism (if not all) is socially constructed rather than based in any real notion of reality.  For example, have you ever seen what happens when I ask a Sony fan to provide links proving whatever ridiculous claim they are making about my posting history?

 



starcraft - Playing Games = FUN, Talking about Games = SERIOUS

colonelstubbs said:
I'm fairly new, so i havent been around to see your infamous 'trolling' but posts like this, well backed up with evidence and obviously well thought through dont connect to this image you seem to have garnered...

I think what gets to a lot of people is this belief that I 'hate' Sony and cannot see the obvious faults of the Xbox 360.  But I regularly acknowledge the potential (indeed likely) brilliance of upcoming PS3 exclusives like WKS, Heavy Rain and Versus, whilst also acknowledging major issues like Rrod, and a lack of strong casual titles in the Xbox 360's line-up.

At the end of the day, some people need someone to hate on, and I'm the perfect socially constructed target. 

 



starcraft - Playing Games = FUN, Talking about Games = SERIOUS

WOW

I actually read all of that.....I hope you know I was just joking most of the time there..



All hail the KING, Andrespetmonkey

starcraft said:
colonelstubbs said:
I'm fairly new, so i havent been around to see your infamous 'trolling' but posts like this, well backed up with evidence and obviously well thought through dont connect to this image you seem to have garnered...

I think what gets to a lot of people is this belief that I 'hate' Sony and cannot see the obvious faults of the Xbox 360. But I regularly acknowledge the potential (indeed likely) brilliance of upcoming PS3 exclusives like WKS, Heavy Rain and Versus, whilst also acknowledging major issues like Rrod, and a lack of strong casual titles in the Xbox 360's line-up.

At the end of the day, some people need someone to hate on, and I'm the perfect socially constructed target.

 


This game is so awesome, you'd think it was on the 360 comes to mind.

People only hate on you because you're probably the only outspoken 360 fan on a site with an overwhelming majority of Nintendo/Sony/Neutral supporters.



starcraft said:
Munkeh111 said:
You are regarded as the Xbox 360 fanboy, almost a token fanboy, so you are used whenever someone is looking how M$ will spin something. Anyway, ignore rock_on, his threads are plain stupid much of the time

But thats just it.  I wasn't labelled an Xbox 360 fanboy until I disagreed with a certain group of PS3 fans.

That lends itself to what I feel is the very real possibility that most fanboyism (if not all) is socially constructed rather than based in any real notion of reality.  For example, have you ever seen what happens when I ask a Sony fan to provide links proving whatever ridiculous claim they are making about my posting history?


 I would not call you a fanboy, but somehow you have the reputation of being one without doing much